Saturday 31 October 2015

Our Music History ~Ongaku to Watashitachi~ Morning Musume。’14 Special - Part 1 of 3 (2014/10/08)

This special show happened during MBS' 'Music Week', held in October 2014. In it, four members of Morning Musume。´14 talked about their music history. 

In the second part, they talk about Morning Musume。 history from the joining of the 9ki. In the third part, they take random lyrics from their latest single and talk about something related to those lyrics.


We start with introductions from the girls.

10th gen member and subleader Iikubo Haruna would be turning twenty in a month's time, and is the oldest among the four of them. She'll also be chairing this 2-hour special. She hopes that she'll become more mature, having arrived at the two-decade milestone.

On the other hand, 9th gen subleader Fukumura Mizuki would be celebrating her 18th birthday on that month. Turning eighteen would also widen her scope of work, as it would allow her to participate in late-night programmes.

9th gen Sayashi Riho is 16, while Morning Musume。has just turned 17. In other words, Riho was born after Morning Musume。's formation - to be exact, the day after Morning Musume。's 'Summer Night Town' was released.

Lastly, 10th gen Ishida Ayumi is 17, but since she was born in January, she's in the same academic year as Fukumura Mizuki. However, she doesn't act her age - she likes messing around, so she says that she's the mental equivalent of a three-year old. However, she's almost 18 too, and even Tsunku♂ has told her recently, 'Ishida, you've turned eighteen, so do things properly', so she'd like to do her best to act grown-up.

Also, September also marked the 17th anniversary of Morning Musume。 At this point, they've been running high, with 5 consecutive first place singles.

♫ Morning Musume。’14 - Love machine (Updated) ♫
A comment concerning music
Fukumura Mizuki: 'Music is something that can unite everyone'
Part 1: Influential songs

For this first part of the show, the topic of discussion is 'A song that influenced my life'. They'll be going through it in the usual order, but before each member talks about their chosen song, Tsunku♂'s latest comments on the girls would be read out.

For those not in the know, Tsunku♂ usually writes liner notes on his blog upon the release of a new song. Also included with the liner notes are comments on the girls. This time, they'd be looking at his comments from the release of Tiki Bun / Shabadabadoo/ Mikaeri Bijin.

Tsunku♂'s comment:
'I think she supports Michishige silently. And because of that,  she's levelled up, and it feels like she's got this drive to press forward.
In both dancing and singing, I think that she's grown to be a person who adds flavour to each of the new songs.'
Mizuki: It made me nervous to listen to it again.
Haruna really likes Mizuki's stylish dancing - it's intense, dynamic, suggestive - which comes as quite the contrast when compared to her calm looks. Riho touches on Tsunku♂'s mention of supporting Michishige silently: early on, Fuku-chan would focus on talking about her love of Hello! Project. But now, she contributes comments and properly wraps up MC segments. Mizuki herself has nothing to add, as this discussion is making her feel self-concious.

Well then, back to the topic of the song that influenced her life. Mizuki liked Mini Moni, finding the lyrics and the dances to their songs easy to remember. She would remember their songs in their entirety, and sing them with her mother.

The one she'd like to single out in particular would be Mini Moni's 'Rock 'n' Roll Kenchoushozaichi ~Oboechaina Series~'. It was an up-tempo song that she found easy to remember. As a plus, it also helped her in school, since it referenced all the prefectural capitals. It came as a surprise to her that the song was even included in school textbooks.


Iikubo agrees that the up-tempo beat makes it easier to remember. While it is up-tempo, Riho thinks that it isn't too fast, so parents and children can memorise it together. And in the middle of tests, you can play the song in your head.

Miyagi resident Ishida comments that the song even mentions local delicacies from some of the places, like sasakama from Miyagi, so you get to learn about local delicacies as well.

Friday 30 October 2015

Momochi's come back!? 「Country Girls」 Special Interview Before and After their Live!――T-SPOOK

「Mezamashi TV PRESENTS T-SPOOK」 was held over 2 days, on the 24th and 25th of October.


We got to talk with Country Girls who appeared at the 2nd day's parade and live performance

On that day,
 Momochi(Tsugunaga Momoko)-san, who had taken a break in order to treat her vocal polyps, also appeared♪  We got to hear her voice, which was adorable as usual!
 



――Momochi-san、 are you doing well?

Honestly, I've gradually been recovering. I apologise for causing worry and concern!


―― I believe that it's been a while since you last stood on-stage, so how do you feel right now? 

That's right。 Thinking about getting to experience the joy of standing on-stage once again、I was looking forward to today ♡ My voice is better now、 but it hasn't recovered to the point where I can sing、 so I think it would be great if you would enjoy today's performance by my 4 reliable kouhai

Thursday 29 October 2015

Berryz Kobo x ℃-ute Cross Talk: Yajima Maimi x Tsugunaga Momoko

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Hello! Project Kids in 2012, a book entitled Rival - 12 shoujo no 10-nen monogatari - (The 10-year legend of the 12 girls) was released. The book contains 2-page discussions between various pairings of the girls, covering all 66 possible combinations. In the process of reading this book, I'll be putting up some highlights as I read through the interviews.



Yajima Maimi X Tsugunaga Momoko

♥♥♥

The 2 of you, along with fellow H!P member Mano-chan, are good friends.

Yajima: The 3 of us are in the same school year, so we're on the same wavelength. We used to hang out a lot in the past, but our schedules don't really match up at the moment, so we hang out separately.

Tsugunaga: But I'm really disappointed with Mano-chan! Despite becoming friends with me earlier, she's already started referring to Maimi as 'Maimi-chan', while I'm still stuck as 'Tsugunaga-san'.

♥♥♥

What do the each of you talk about with Mano-chan?

Yajima: When I'm with her, it's often about work, particularly about stage-acting.

Tsugunaga: It's normal chat for me. Like 'Did you watch yesterday's variety programme?'

Yajima: The other day, she seemed to have something on her mind, so I heard her out.

Tsugunaga: Ah, that might be it! Serious topics might be all right. Because she's talked about things like weight with me. On the lines of 'I've eaten too much recently, so my weight is like~'

Yajima: I think that's true. Since she's able to have serious discussions with us, she opened up her heart. And it also seems like she enjoys talking about play-acting.

Tuesday 27 October 2015

New Faces: Dancing (H!P Maruwakari Winter 2015)

The HaroPuro MaruWakari Books are released in conjunction with the twice-yearly Hello! Con tours. The contents usually take the form of questionnaires to the members, asking about other members.
This one, which came out for the 2015 Winter Hello! Cons, would be Berryz' last as well as Country Girls' first. It also pre-dates Kobushi Factory, who were announced at that Hello! Con itself. Thus, the usual questionnaires are supplemented with a Berryz Kobo special as well as a new faces special (MM 12ki, S/mileage 3ki, the 5 new Country Girls).

This part of the questionnaire comes from the 'new faces' segment, where we get to know more about the new girls and what they think about other H!P members and senpai. Remember that this book pre-dates Kobushi Factory and Tsubaki Factory, but don't worry, they get their turn in the 2015 Summer Maruwakari Book.


Q5. I like this senpai's dancing

Ogata Haruna: Sayashi Riho-san. I really liked her dancing in 'What is Love?'

Nonaka MikiNakajima Saki-san. Her limbs are long, and I look up to her ability to dance any song stylishly and cutely.

Makino MariaNakajima Saki-san, Takagi Sayuki-san. I've really liked Nakajima-san's dancing from even before I joined Morning Musume。 The pole dancing she did for their 2014 spring tour was really attractive. I've been using Takagi-san's dancing as a reference from when I was a Kenshuusei.

Haga AkaneShimizu Saki-san's sharp dancing is stylish!

Murota MizukiSayashi Riho-san with her sharp dancing!

Aikawa MahoHagiwara Mai-san. When she's dancing, her facial expression is impressively cute and cool...... I look up to her.

Sasaki Rikako: Ishida Ayumi-san, Sayashi Riho-san, Shimizu Saki-san, Nakajima Saki-san. Because when I watched them at the Hello! Cons, they really stood out, they were cool and powerful.

Yamaki RisaMiyamoto Karin-san. It's wonderful how she feels the 16 beat and dances in a huge way. When I watch her from up close, she's always so good that I can't pull my eyes away.

Inaba ManakaSayashi Riho-san. She's so good that no matter what sort of dance she's performing, it draws your eyes! She's really cool, I respect her ☆

Morito ChisakiSayashi Riho-san. Because her dancing's powerful, and the punch it packs when you see her is amazing. I wish I could dance like that. Even though Miyamoto Karin-san is petite, it's amazing how her movements are so big!

Shimamura UtaIt's got to be Sayashi Riho-san if we're talking about dancing. Just by watching their music videos, she'll bewitch you. I had a nosebleed the day I saw her live.

Ozeki MaiSayashi Riho-san, Ishida Ayumi-san! I think within Morning Musume。´15, the two of them are the top two in the dance category, so for me, who still can't dance, I look up to them!

Notes and observations:

  • RihoRiho gets mentioned the most, 7 times, with Nacky getting three, and the following people getting 2 mentions each.: Captain, Karin-chan, and Ayumi. I'd just like to point out that almost all of the new members not from the Kenshuusei picked RihoRiho.
  • By group, Morning Musume。´15 members got mentioned the most, the bulk of them being for RihoRiho:
    Morning Musume。´15: 9 mentions
    ℃-ute: 4 mentions
    Juice=Juice: 3 mentions
    Berryz Kobo: 2 mentions

Saturday 24 October 2015

Fukumura Mizuki: Resolution and Determination as the 9th Leader (Top Yell July 2015)


--- When did you really feel that you had really assumed the role of 9th Leader?

With Michishige-san's graduation completed on the 26th of November last year, we called it a day, but the next day it was back to work as usual. I spent that day without feeling like the leader at all. However, I gradually got more solo jobs, things like radio appearances and interviews, and the staff-san increasingly teased me by going 'Yo! Leader!' (laughs). But I still couldn't get used to being called the leader...... At interviews, one question that would invariably get asked would be 'Moving forward, what sort of group would you like the group to become?', and I had no idea what to answer. I honestly wanted to say that the 13 of us would do our best, but because we had just started (with the new organisation) , I hadn't thought of anything. Then I slammed into the wall of being the leader. Even when we got told off, there often was this feeling of 'Despite you being the leader', it took some time for me to accept that.

--- There must have been huge pressure, succeeding the large footsteps Michishige-san left as leader.

I'd prepared myself for the comparisons with her from the start. Even at handshake events, I would receive unrelenting words from the fans, such as 'Your MC can't compare to Michishige-san'. It gave me a shock, but it would be my loss if it got me down, so I decided in my heart that I would do my best.

---Did you speak out to the members about your anxiety and pressure?

I did not. Of course I was anxious, but I'd like to enjoy my time with the members. It's not just me, we all harbour that anxiety, so without burdening them with more things to worry about, I felt like I had to lead everyone at my own pace.


---Ever since you became the leader, have you ever had to bring everyone together and hold a discussion?

The 9th, 10th, and 11th generation have had detailed discussions, we've brought out our opinions about how we'd like to move forward in the future. My ideal type of leader would be 'A leader who does their best together with everyone'. Looking back over the history of Morning Musume。,  senpai-kouhai relationships have been important, but this current assembly of girls are the closest in age we've had so far. We should make use of the close distance between the members, not that we'd mess around together as friends, but I'd like us to have a lot of conversations, and build a relationship of mutual trust.


Thursday 22 October 2015

New Faces: Rival Among The New Faces (H!P Maruwakari Winter 2015)

The HaroPuro MaruWakari Books are released in conjunction with the twice-yearly Hello! Con tours. The contents usually take the form of questionnaires to the members, asking about other members.
This one, which came out for the 2015 Winter Hello! Cons, would be Berryz' last as well as Country Girls' first. It also pre-dates Kobushi Factory, who were announced at that Hello! Con itself. Thus, the usual questionnaires are supplemented with a Berryz Kobo special as well as a new faces special (MM 12ki, S/mileage 3ki, the 5 new Country Girls).

This part of the questionnaire comes from the 'new faces' segment, where we get to know more about the new girls and what they think about other H!P members and senpai. Remember that this book pre-dates Kobushi Factory and Tsubaki Factory, but don't worry, they get their turn in the 2015 Summer Maruwakari Book.



Q10. Between Morning Musume。12ki, ANGERME 3rd gen, and Country Girls, who is your rival?

Ogata HarunaEveryone. In order to not lose to the ones who came from the Kenshuusei, I'd like to absorb the good parts and do my best.

Nonaka MikiMakino Maria-chan. Although we're contemporaries, Maria-chan has a lot of experience as a Kenshuusei, so I'd like to learn from her example, while doing my best so that I don't lose.

Makino MariaMurota Mizuki-chan and Sasaki Rikako-chan. Since the 2 of them are better at singing and dancing than Maria......

Haga AkaneAikawa Maho-chan. She might have been my junior when we were Kenshuusei, but she's good at singing and dancing, so I can't let myself lose!

Murota MizukiEveryone. Everyone's my rival!

Aikawa MahoMurota Mizuki-san's singing and dancing has impact, I'd like to be able to sing like Murota-san. Sasaki Rikako-san's dancing is huge and catches your eyes, so I'd like to be able to dance in a spirited way that won't lose to her! Haga Akane-san's the one I'm closest to from when we were Kenshuusei, and we reviewed our dancing together, so I don't want to lose to her.

Sasaki RikakoEveryone! Everyone's levels are high, so they're rivals.

Yamaki RisaInaba Manaka-chan. Manaka-chan's dancing is good and her singing is cute, I think she's amazing. I'm definitely aware of it since we're in the same group, but I can't let myself lose!

Inaba Manaka: Sasaki Rikako-san. Her dancing is really energetic and she's got a powerful presence, so I'd like to cultivate a 'friends but at the same time rivals in a good way' relationship.

Morito ChisakiShimamura Uta-chan. I stil don't have that awareness that she's a rival, but because we're close in age and she's really cute, I think that I've got to do my best.

Shimamura UtaWith my personality, I don't really mind others, so my rival is myself. I'd like to meet Ogata Haruna-chan and Nonaka Miki-chan who I auditioned together with.

Ozeki MaiCountry Girls' Shimamura Uta-san! Within Country Girls, I'm closest with Uta-chan, but I think that it's because we're close that she's become my rival!



Notes and observations:

  • Seen as a rival:
    3 mentions: Rikako, Uta-chan, Everyone
    2 mentions: Murotan
  • Uta-chan chose herself. Wish she had quoted that classic Berryz Kobo song, 'Rival' ~ '♫ My rival is... my weak, timid self ♫'
  • Mutual rivals: Haga-chan and AiAi

Wednesday 21 October 2015


As you may already know, Suzuki Airi will be acting as the image character for the kimono seller Suzunoya for the second year in the row. Here's a heart-warming story she had to share, that came about from her work with Suzunoya:

Mixed in a throng of younger people, an elderly lady came to shake hands with Airi.
'On my daily morning route, I pass by [Suzunoya's] storefront, and I see your billboard (life-sized cardboard cutout).
Your smile always lifts my spirits.
Because of that, I looked up all sorts of things about you,
And today, I came for your handshake event'.
Tears came unbidden to Airi's eyes.


Tuesday 20 October 2015

Berryz Kobo x ℃-ute Cross Talk: Tokunaga Chinami x Nakajima Saki

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Hello! Project Kids in 2012, a book entitled Rival - 12 shoujo no 10-nen monogatari - (The 10-year legend of the 12 girls) was released. The book contains 2-page discussions between various pairings of the girls, covering all 66 possible combinations of them. In the process of reading this book, I'll be putting up some highlights as I read through the interviews.



Tokunaga Chinami X Nakajima Saki

I think that girls look up to the 2 of you for your great figures, but have you always had such great figures since you were small?

Nakajima: No, I was fat when we were in the Hello! Project Kids. Airi was fat too, and I remember us saying things like 'The chubby alliance',  or 'It's fine to be fat though. Let's eat!' (laughs).

Tokunaga: Really? I don't really remember you being chubby at the time though.

Nakajima: Chinami-chan's figure was always good since back then. More accurately, you haven't changed. My image of you is that you had slender limbs since that time. Like you played sports.

Tokunaga: I played badminton at the time, and in my 4th year of primary school. I got 3rd place at a prefectural tournament. I got that 3rd place the day before I got into the H!P Kids, those 2 days were the peak of my life.

Nakajima: That's quite early for the peak of your life though (laughs).

Tokunaga: But for me, speaking seriously, I eat ramen in the middle of the night.

Nakajima: Chinami-chan, inherently, you don't put on weight even if you eat. Even if you do eat, it doesn't stick on your flesh.

Tokunaga: That's not the case, I do think that my face gets plump, but I'm like 'Whatever!' (laughs).

VVV

Nakajima: It's easy to tell for Leader [that she's put on weight]  because it shows in her face, but it goes all over my body for me, so it's difficult to tell, and it gets crazy. Our manager-san told me 'Nakajima's gotten bigger than the rest around her' (laughs).

By the way, at which sorts of times is it easier for you to put on weight?

Nakajima: Summer, unexpectedly. We move around a lot in summer, so we often eat outside. On the other hand, I'm bad with the winter cold, so it's fine because I go home straight though.

VVV

For Saki-chan, do you diet?

Nakajima: I do it when all of ℃-ute does it. ℃-ute eats the same things together almost every day, so the times when we're fat and the times when we lose weight are generally the same. The one time when all of us were at our peak was the time when our manager-san was dieting together with us. But it definitely is easier to succeed when everyone's doing it. By yourself, you'd lose to temptation and eat though.

[Omitted: Discussion about them getting complicated outfits that only they can pull off thanks to their figures.]

Nakajima: Also, recently we've had some really exposing outfits, and my tummy looked like it was popping out, so I asked 'Could you cover the tummy a bit more?', but it was rejected with a 'Because the lines look nicer that way' (laughs).

Tokunaga: And, what did you do about that?

Nakajima: I just left it as it was. Since I wanted to dance at 100%, I danced without heeding it, but I felt that it was inexcusable for the girls who had become fans 'because you've got a great figure'.

Tokunaga: But you can't dance if you don't eat your meals. You can't move on an empty stomach, right?

Nakajima: While of course it makes me happy to be cheered on by the male fans, cheers from girls are a great source of strength. At handshake events, being told by girls that 'You've got a great figure, I really respect you', you feel like you have to do your best. Guys have told me 'You've gotten sexy' when I get chubby though.

Tokunaga: Recently, there's suddenly been an influx of girls at handshake events, and a lot of them tell me 'You've got really slender legs'. With my legs being observed that much, recently I've been making my legs the highlight of my dressing (laughs). I'd study up on things like the best length for a skirt to make them look pretty, and I've kind of understood it recently.

---You go on diets, you study up on appearances, you're working hard in the background, aren't you?

Tokunaga: The eyes of the female fans and the pressure of outfits, those are 2 big things (laughs).

Nakajima: I feel that ℃-ute's outfits are particularly unsparing. Before this, we had a song entitled 'Kiss Me Aishiteru', and the outfits were like spats and inner-wear.

Tokunaga: I think that only ℃-ute could have pulled that off.

Nakajima: It gave us a shock the first time we saw them (laughs). And, at the PV shooting, since our midriffs were bare, all of us only had wakame seaweed soup. But because it went on until late at night, we were like 'Whatever!' and ate oden though (laughs), but we did our best with wakame soup at first.

Tokunaga: That must have been really tough~.

VVV

Saturday 17 October 2015

Country Girls: We're a unique group even within Hello! Project、 so I want to make that our forte

{Interview published on the 18th of March 2015, after Tsugunaga Momoko had properly joined the group post-Berryz Kobo's hiatus, but before Country Girls' major début}

We are familiar with the 'Country Musume。' that Satoda Mai was attached to, which was formed in 1999. However, the group has been reborn as 'Country Girls'. They'll make their major début on the 25th of March with their single 『Itooshikutte Gomen ne/Koidorobo』! With “Momochi” Tsugunaga Momoko as their Playing Manager、 Country was reborn with 5 fresh girls. Let's get introduced to the characters of these members and find out what led them to aiming to become idols.

Tsugunaga Momoko
You fully joined the group as Playing Manager Momochi after Berryz Kobo ended with your last Budokan performance on the 3rd of March. Have you gotten used to the new environment?

Tsugunaga「It's been a smooth transition into Country Girls. I don't feel like I've had a change of heart in particular...... We're on the heels of our major début. so there's no time to be confused. I feel like I'll use up everything I've got to deal with the work I've got ahead of me」

Before Momochi had fully joined in, the one who played the role of leader and led events was the oldest among the 5 of you, Yamaki-san。

Yamaki「Right. I passed the baton to Momochi-senpai、 and when she led our events, I learnt a truckload of things by watching her from the sides, like different ways of doing things!」

Inaba「Speaking about Momochi-senpai, when it comes to talking, there's a lot to respect about her! We'll be getting even more opportunities to work together、 and I look forward to what I'll learn beyond this!」

Tsugunaga「Wait up、 you're making this hard on me~.(laughs) You haven't really flattered me much before this、 so I've got no idea what to do. Such overwhelming words of praise actually make me think, 『Are they making veiled threats?』laughs) I'm happy that you respect me in your hearts, but right now, I'm seriously thinking that you don't need to mention it here. (laughs)」

For the 3 of you in the younger group, your impression of Tsugunaga-san might only be “the Momochi that appears on television”.

Ozeki「Yes。 When I watched her on TV、 I thought “Momochi's so funny”. (laughs) Who knew that we would be holding activities together in the same group!」

Tsugunaga「Yup、 that's about right. Ozeki's the best!」

Shimamura「When I watched TV、 Momochi-senpai brightened up the atmosphere with her talking、 I always thought “That's Momochi for you!” (laughs)」

AllLaugh

Tsugunaga「That's good、 because you're talking times before you joined the world of entertainment」

Inaba「I watched her on television before I became a Kenshuusei、 and her ability to talk was wonderful。 She was completely like an entertainer!」

Tsugunaga「You guys say quite a lot once you've been allowed to let loose, huh (laughs)」

Thursday 15 October 2015

Berryz Kobo x ℃-ute Cross Talk: Okai Chisato x Hagiwara Mai

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Hello! Project Kids in 2012, a book entitled Rival - 12 shoujo no 10-nen monogatari - (The 10-year legend of the 12 girls) was released. The book contains 2-page discussions between pairs of girls, covering all 66 possible combinations of them. As I'm currently in the process of reading this book, I'd like to share some highlights from the interviews.



Okai Chisato X Hagiwara Mai

Between the 12 of you, the two of you are the youngest, and it seems that the 2 of you used to quarrel over the smallest things.

Okai: We really did (laughs). What's more, thinking back on those quarrels, weren't they so stupid!? They were result of such trifling things. What I remember most is our quarrel over seasoning when we were in the Hello! Project Kids. Small kids like to have seasoning on their eggs, right? When there was only one pack of seasoning remaining, the two of us ran over to get it simultaneously......right?

Hagiwara: I got it that time. And then you said 'Gimme a little!' But it was so little in amount that the first thing we did was quarrel over it.

Okai: I said 'Because I'll use up whatever's remaining!', and sure enough., Mai-chan left some behind. We had a really big quarrel over that (laughs). 

Hagiwara: I really hated you because of our fight, so I seriously wanted to finish it up (laughs). We really did fight over the most trivial things. 


☺☺☺

Do you remember the last time you fought?

Hagiwara: We fought over some message, right!?

Okai: Ah, yeah!! I've forgotten the details, but Mai-chan sent a message concerning Chisato, cautioning me. But because Mai-chan had also been cautioned on the same thing, it suddenly flamed me up, I sent a message 'Why do you have to be so angry? Like you've got any right to be mad at me!?'

Hagiwara: We were going back by subway. And Chisato was heading in the same direction, so we were on the same train, but we were sending grumbling messages from different carriages (laughs).

Okai: That was during 'Sengoku Jieitai', right? Whoa, that's recent (laughs).

Hagiwara: Last year, right!? It actually is pretty recent (laughs).

Okai: But compared to the past, it was light.


☺☺☺

Hagiwara: Also, we've gone for karaoke together. But Mai fell asleep while we were karaoke-ing......

Okai: Yeah! Someone's singing, and you fall asleep~ It really hit a nerve, so I raised the volume of the music really loud, which woke you up in surprise (laughs).

Hagiwara: My heart was going to explode. It doesn't make me happy to be woken up that way!

Okai: I was bursting out in laughter. I was mad, but already you'd been forgiven (laughs).

Hagiwara: I was really sleepy. Just in case, I'd informed you that I was a bit sleepy. I wouldn't be able to drift off to sleep if we weren't close friends, right? I thought it would be fine because it was you, Chisato.

Okai: Well, it's fine for a bit, but you were sleeping the whole time (laughs). Also, when we go for karaoke, we scramble for songs. We like to sing the same songs, so who's first gets to choose.

In the end, for the 2 of you, it's like the more you fight, the closer you get (laughs). Were the two of you chums from when you were the H!P Kids?

Hagiwara: We we always together, right?

Okai: In my case, Airi and Risako were mature, despite being in the same school year as me, and I was still like a kid, so it was because, within our group, Mai-chan was the type that matched with me (laughs).

Hagiwara: Ahahahaha, that is true! I can't deny that (laughs). The first time I saw Chisato, I thought 'This girl is scary!' Her hair was blonde, and I thought that she'd immediately call people stupid. Well, while I say that she was scary, I had a huge, serious fight with that girl after that (laughs), but I only thought of her as being scary for a moment, and we were together before I knew it. I wonder why? What was the thing that started it?

Okai: I wonder too. Ah, It might have been Momo-chan! For some reason, I was often together with Momo-chan at the time. Momo-chan likes small kids, so it felt like she looked after us. We were stuck under Momo-chan at some point, right.

Well then, I'd like to ask the both of you, how do you feel your relationship will be like in 10 years?

Okai: Whatever happens, I think I'll be together with Mai.

Hagiwara: Hmm? You said the same thing to Nacky the other day, didn't you?

Okai: Is that so? (laughs) But that's how it feels with Mai-chan and Nacky......While we're on the subject, I think that it's fundamentally the same for me with all of the ℃-ute members, so I'm sure that I'll probably say the same things when it comes to Maimi-chan and Airi as well (laughs). But I really think it's true for Mai-chan. It gets exciting with the 2 of us around, and everything becomes interesting, We'd always keep laughing.

Hagiwara: Yup. It feels like we'll be together whatever happens. Even if lots of things happen, we won't be separated.

Okai: It doesn't mean that I want us to be together forever, but we'll unconsciously be together.

☺☺☺

Tuesday 13 October 2015

New Faces: Figures (H!P Maruwakari Winter 2015)

The HaroPuro MaruWakari Books are released in conjunction with the twice-yearly Hello! Con tours. The contents usually take the form of questionnaires to the members, asking about other members.
This one, which came out for the 2015 Winter Hello! Cons, would be Berryz' last as well as Country Girls' first. It also pre-dates Kobushi Factory, who were announced at that Hello! Con itself. Thus, the usual questionnaires are supplemented with a Berryz Kobo special as well as a new faces special (MM 12ki, S/mileage 3ki, the 5 new Country Girls).

This part of the questionnaire comes from the 'new faces' segment, where we get to know more about the new girls and what they think about other H!P members and senpai. Remember that this book pre-dates Kobushi Factory and Tsubaki Factory, but don't worry, they get their turn in the 2015 Summer Maruwakari Book.



Q7. Senpai whose figure I like

Ogata HarunaIikubo Haruna-san. Her legs are nice and she always wears cute clothes.

Nonaka MikiMiyazaki Yuka-san. Her figure's so good that it makes me wonder, what's up with her body proportions......!? I envy her!!

Makino MariaKumai Yurina-san, Hagiwara Mai-san. Kumai-san's legs are long and she's got a great figure, while I like Hagiwara-san's waist since her waist is really pretty.

Haga AkaneI envy Wada Ayaka-san's slender legs.

Murota MizukiSuzuki Airi-san. It's amazing how anything she wears suits her! I use her as an example.

Aikawa MahoHagiwara Mai-san. I've always thought that her legs are long and slender, and she's got a bombastic figure.

Sasaki RikakoKumai Yurina-san, Tokunaga Chinami-san, Wada Ayaka-san. I admire their long and slender legs.

Yamaki RisaShe's graduated, but Michishige Sayumi-san. I like her skin tone and her back. Her back!! Even from behind, Michishige-san's a beauty, you'd expect no less. Miyazaki Yuka-san's waist is really pretty, it makes me think that she really takes a lot of care with what she eats (laughs).

Inaba ManakaMichishige Sayumi-san. I think that she's really slim, she's tall in stature, her legs are long, her figure's exceptional ♥

Morito Chisaki: Iikubo Haruna-san. She's tall, and her limbs are slender, I'm envious!

Shimamura UtaUemura Akari-san. I envy her slimness. I'm currently smack in the middle of my growth phase, so I'm drinking lots of milk, and I'd like to aim for a slender body.

Ozeki MaiIikubo Haruna-san! I think that Iikubo-san really shines, like a model!

Notes and observations:

  • Best figure: Harunan, with 3 mentions. Others with 2 mentions: Yuka, Kumaicho, MaiMai, Ayacho, Sayu
  • Group-wise, it's pretty evenly distributed:
    Berryz Kobo: 3 mentions
    ℃-ute: 3 mentions
    Morning Musume。´15: 3 mentions
    Juice=Juice: 3 mentions
    Angerme: 2 mentions
    MM OG: 2 mentions